How to Improve Your ATS Score: Step-by-Step Guide for 2026
Your ATS score is low — but it is almost never because you are unqualified. Here is exactly how to diagnose the problem and fix it, step by step, to get your score above 80% before your next application.
Key Takeaways
- Your ATS score is low because of keyword gaps, format problems, or both — not because your experience is weak
- Tailor your resume to every job description individually — a generic resume will always score below 60%
- Add missing keywords naturally into your experience bullets, not in a hidden keyword dump
- Fix your format first: single-column, no tables, no text boxes, standard section headings
- A score of 80% or above gives you a strong chance of passing ATS filters
- You can improve your ATS score from below 60% to above 80% in a single editing session
- Check your score after every change — improvement without measurement is guesswork
Why Your ATS Score Is Not Just a Number
When you apply for a job online, your resume goes through an Applicant Tracking System before any human ever sees it. The ATS parses your document, extracts your experience and skills, and compares them against the job description. The result is your ATS score — a percentage that represents how well your resume matches that specific role.
A low ATS score does not mean you are unqualified. It almost always means one of two things: your resume is missing keywords the ATS is looking for, or your formatting is preventing the ATS from reading your content correctly. Both are fixable in under an hour.
This guide walks you through the exact steps to diagnose why your score is low and what to change to push it above 80%.
What Is a Good ATS Score?
Before improving your score, you need to know what you are aiming for.
80% and above — ATS-friendly. Your resume has strong keyword coverage and is likely to pass automated filters and reach a human recruiter. This is the target zone.
60% to 79% — Borderline. You may pass some ATS systems but not others. At this range, small keyword additions can push you into the safe zone.
Below 60% — High rejection risk. Significant keyword gaps or formatting problems are filtering you out before any human sees your application. Immediate action is needed.
One important clarification: ATS score is job-specific. A resume that scores 85% for one software engineering role may score 45% for a different software engineering role at another company, because each job description uses different keywords and weights different skills. This is why tailoring for each application is not optional — it is the single most impactful thing you can do.
The Most Common Reasons Your ATS Score Is Low
Understanding the cause is the fastest path to the fix.
1. You are sending the same resume to every job
This is the most common reason for low scores across the board. A generic resume optimized for "software engineer roles in general" will not contain the specific keywords a particular job description uses. Recruiters at Infosys, Amazon, and a Series A startup all want different things, even for similar-sounding roles.
Fix: Treat every application as a separate tailoring exercise. Take 10–15 minutes per application to align your resume with that specific job description.
2. Your keywords do not match the job description
You may have the right skills but describe them differently from how the JD describes them. If the JD says "stakeholder management" and your resume says "client communication," an ATS may not recognize them as equivalent — especially older ATS systems that rely on exact matching rather than semantic analysis.
Fix: Mirror the exact language from the job description. If they say "machine learning," use "machine learning," not "ML" alone. Include both the acronym and the full form when relevant.
3. Your resume format is preventing ATS from reading your content
Tables, multi-column layouts, text boxes, headers and footers, and graphics are invisible or garbled in most ATS parsers. If your skills section is in a two-column table or your contact details are in a Word header, that content is not being read — which means it is not being scored.
Fix: Convert to a clean single-column format. Move all content into the main document body. Remove every table and text box.
4. Your Skills section is weak or missing
Many ATS systems specifically look for a dedicated Skills section and scan it for keyword matches. If you do not have one, or if it lists only generic soft skills, you are losing points on the most scannable part of your resume.
Fix: Add a dedicated Skills section with a flat bulleted or comma-separated list of hard skills, tools, technologies, and domain-specific terms.
5. Your job titles and section headings are non-standard
If your previous job title was "Growth Ninja" or your experience section is called "Where I've Made Impact," the ATS cannot properly classify that content. Your years of experience may not be extracted, your seniority level may not be assessed, and your section content may not be scored correctly.
Fix: Use standard job titles (closest equivalent) and standard headings: Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications.
6. You are missing context around keywords
ATS systems increasingly use semantic analysis. A keyword listed only in your Skills section carries less weight than the same keyword mentioned in the context of a bullet point that describes what you actually did with it. "Python" in a skills list is weaker than "Built automated data pipeline using Python and Apache Airflow, reducing report generation time by 60%."
Fix: Use keywords in context — in your experience bullets — not just as a list of terms.
7. Your resume file format is causing parsing errors
PDFs from design tools like Canva often save text as image layers. DOCX files with embedded objects or complex formatting sometimes parse incorrectly. If the ATS cannot extract your text, your score is effectively zero regardless of your content.
Fix: Submit a clean DOCX file built in Microsoft Word or Google Docs with no decorative elements.
Step 1: Read the Job Description Like an ATS
Before editing your resume, spend five minutes analyzing the job description.
Look for:
- The exact job title used
- Required skills listed in the first half of the JD (these are highest priority)
- Preferred or "nice to have" skills listed later
- Specific tools, platforms, and technologies named
- Phrases that repeat — repetition signals importance
- The industry or domain context (fintech, SaaS, FMCG, consulting)
Write down every keyword you do not currently have in your resume. This list is your improvement roadmap. The keywords with the highest frequency in the JD should be your first priority to add.
Step 2: Add Missing Keywords — in Context
Once you have your keyword list, the goal is to add them to your resume naturally — not to stuff them at the bottom in white text or hidden sections. ATS systems in 2026 increasingly flag keyword stuffing, and human reviewers definitely notice it.
The best places to add keywords:
In experience bullets: Rewrite existing bullets to include the missing keyword while keeping the achievement intact. "Managed social media campaigns" becomes "Managed social media campaigns across Meta Ads and LinkedIn, driving 40% increase in qualified leads" when the JD asks for Meta Ads experience.
In your Skills section: Add missing tools, technologies, and domain terms directly. Keep it scannable — a flat comma-separated list or simple bullet points work better than a table.
In your summary: Your professional summary at the top of the resume is read early by both ATS and humans. Include your target job title and two or three high-priority keywords from the JD.
In a Certifications section: If you have relevant certifications that match JD requirements, list them explicitly with the full certification name as it appears in the JD.
What to avoid: Do not add skills you do not have. Do not copy-paste the entire JD into your resume. Do not use the same keyword ten times. One to three natural mentions of each priority keyword is enough.
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Step 3: Fix Your Format
If your format is broken, no amount of keyword optimization will fully fix your score. Format issues act as a ceiling — they limit how much of your content gets parsed correctly.
Run through this checklist:
- Convert multi-column layout to single column
- Remove all tables — replace with bulleted lists
- Remove text boxes — move content to main body
- Move contact information out of the header/footer into the document body
- Delete all graphics, icons, profile photos, and skill bar visuals
- Change to a safe font: Arial, Calibri, Georgia, or Times New Roman
- Set font size to 10–12pt for body, 14–18pt for your name
- Set margins to 0.5–1 inch on all sides
- Save as .docx
These changes will not make your resume look worse to a human reader — a clean single-column resume with good typography looks professional and is easier to scan than a busy multi-column design.
Step 4: Strengthen Your Skills Section
Your Skills section is one of the highest-impact areas for ATS scoring because it is the most keyword-dense section of your resume and is specifically parsed by most ATS platforms.
Structure it as a flat list grouped by category where relevant:
Technical Skills: Python, SQL, Tableau, Power BI, Excel, Snowflake Frameworks: React, Node.js, FastAPI, Django Cloud: AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda), Google Cloud, Azure Domain: Financial modeling, credit risk analysis, KYC/AML compliance
For non-technical roles, the same principle applies: Marketing: Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, HubSpot, SEMrush, Mailchimp Finance: DCF modeling, P&L management, Bloomberg Terminal, SAP FICO, CFA Level II
Always mirror the exact terminology from the job description. If the JD says "Google Analytics 4," write "Google Analytics 4," not just "Google Analytics."
Step 5: Rewrite Your Experience Bullets
Most experience bullets are written as job descriptions — what you were responsible for. ATS systems score based on keyword presence, but human reviewers score based on impact. The best bullets do both.
Weak: "Responsible for managing the marketing team and running campaigns."
Strong: "Led a 6-person marketing team executing performance campaigns across Google Ads, Meta Ads, and LinkedIn, generating 2,400 qualified leads at 32% below industry average CPL."
The strong version includes: role scope, specific platforms (keywords), and a quantified outcome. Every bullet in your Work Experience should follow this structure as closely as possible.
For freshers or those with limited work experience: apply the same principle to internship projects, college projects, and academic research. Quantify wherever possible — users reached, accuracy achieved, time saved, cost reduced.
Step 6: Tailor Your Summary for Each Role
Your professional summary is the first thing both ATS and humans read. It sets the context for everything that follows.
A well-written summary for an ATS should:
- Include your target job title (matching the JD)
- Mention your years of experience and domain
- Include two or three high-priority keywords from the JD
- Be three to four sentences maximum
Example for a data analyst role: "Data Analyst with 4 years of experience in fintech, specializing in SQL, Python, and Tableau. Proven track record of building automated dashboards and reporting pipelines that reduced manual reporting time by 65%. Experienced with Snowflake and Power BI; currently completing Google Data Analytics certification."
This summary would score well for a JD that mentions SQL, Python, Tableau, Snowflake, and Power BI — because all five appear in context.
India-Specific Tips for Improving Your ATS Score
Naukri resume profile
Naukri's internal ATS (Resdex) gives recruiters search results based on your uploaded resume. Ensure your profile has:
- Current Designation matching the roles you are targeting
- Key Skills section explicitly filled with tools and technologies — Naukri's parser specifically extracts this
- Total Experience and Current Location correctly parsed from your resume format
If recruiters are not finding you on Naukri despite a complete profile, your uploaded resume format is likely the issue — reupload as DOCX after formatting fixes.
LinkedIn Easy Apply
LinkedIn pre-fills application fields from your uploaded resume. Test this by checking whether your current employer, job title, and dates are populating correctly. If they are wrong, your resume format is preventing accurate parsing — fix the format and reupload.
Campus placement portals
For final-year students using Superset, iCareers, or college-specific portals: these systems use simpler parsers but the same rules apply. One-page resume, single column, standard headings, DOCX format. Education section before Work Experience if you are a fresher.
How Much Can You Realistically Improve Your Score?
Based on the most common scenarios:
Starting score below 50%: Usually a combination of wrong format and significant keyword gaps. After fixing format and tailoring keywords for the specific JD, most users reach 75–85% in one editing session.
Starting score 50–65%: Typically keyword gaps with acceptable format. Adding 8–12 targeted keywords in context usually pushes the score above 75%.
Starting score 66–75%: Close to the threshold. Usually 4–6 missing keywords are the gap. Small targeted additions push to 80%+.
Starting score 76–85%: Already in good shape. Fine-tune by adding missing preferred skills and ensuring your summary mirrors the JD title and key competencies.
The most important thing: check your score after each round of edits. Editing without checking is guesswork. Use a free ATS checker to measure your score before and after each change so you know exactly what is working.
How to Check Your Improved ATS Score
After making your edits, run your updated resume through an ATS checker before submitting the application. This tells you:
- Your new ATS match score
- Which keywords are still missing
- Whether your format changes worked
ATSAlign's free ATS checker lets you upload your resume, paste the job description, and get your score with a full keyword gap breakdown in under 60 seconds. No account required. Run it as many times as you need — once before editing to see the gap, and once after to confirm the improvement.
How do I improve my ATS score quickly?
The fastest improvement comes from tailoring your resume to the specific job description. Open the JD, find the keywords your resume is missing, and add them naturally into your experience bullets and skills section. Most people can go from below 60% to above 75% in 15–20 minutes of targeted editing. After editing, recheck your score to confirm the improvement.
What is a good ATS score to get shortlisted?
A score of 80% or above is considered strong and gives your resume a high probability of passing ATS filters. Between 60–79% is borderline — you may pass some systems but not others. Below 60% is high-risk and likely to result in automatic rejection before human review. Aim for 80%+ for every application you submit.
How do I improve my ATS score from 75?
A score of 75% is close but not quite in the safe zone. The gap is usually 4–6 missing keywords. Go back to the job description and identify which required skills or tools are not in your resume. Add them in context — inside experience bullets rather than just appending them to your skills list. A score of 75% can typically be pushed above 80% with fewer than ten minutes of targeted edits.
Why is my ATS score low even though I am qualified?
Your ATS score measures keyword match and format compatibility, not your actual qualifications. You can be perfectly qualified for a role and still score below 50% because you described your experience using different vocabulary than the JD uses, or because your resume format is preventing the ATS from reading your content. Fix the vocabulary alignment and format, and your score will reflect your actual qualifications.
Can I improve my ATS score without changing my actual experience?
Yes — completely. Improving your ATS score is about presentation, not fabrication. You rewrite how you describe existing experience using the same vocabulary the job description uses. You do not add skills you do not have. A candidate who genuinely has five years of Python experience but wrote "scripting" instead of "Python" can dramatically improve their score by using the correct terminology — without changing a single fact about their background.
How often should I check my ATS score?
Check your ATS score for every application you submit. A resume tailored for one job description will score differently against a different job description, even for similar roles at different companies. The keywords, required tools, and emphasis shift between postings. Checking your score per application — and adjusting before you submit — is the habit that consistently leads to more callbacks.
What is the fastest way to fix a low ATS score?
Run your resume through a free ATS checker with the specific job description you are applying to. The checker will show you exactly which keywords are missing. Add those keywords to your resume in context — in experience bullets and your skills section. Recheck your score. This process takes 15–30 minutes and typically moves scores from below 60% to above 75% in a single round.